The 2017 MEFMI Combined Forum focused on the topical issue of Infrastructure Financing Infrastructure development has been noted to be key to the potential for Africa to become the fastest growing region in the world in the next decade. According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) 2014 study; the continent needs $93 billion in infrastructure spending each year. The Infrastructure Consortium for Africa reported that only $74.5 billion was committed to infrastructure development in 2014, with a great majority of it in the transport and energy sectors. About 59 percent of these investments were funded by the national governments, 37 percent from multilateral agencies and bilateral external funding, and a mere 4 percent from the private sector. Compared to other emerging markets and developing economies where approximately 20 percent of infrastructure expenditure is financed by private sources, there is significant potential to increase private sector participation in infrastructure development, including through public private partnerships (PPP).